All Posts by andrew martonik

Simplistic gameplay and an infinite number of levels make a winning combination
It's hard to get the right mix of gameplay difficulty, simple rules and design in a puzzle game (or any game for that matter), but luckily we've found another that has struck that balance. The game is Mosaique, and it has put all of the components in the right places to make an excellent title. It has a simple...

Popular mobile game titles on your TV, using your phone as a controller
BlueStacks, which is best known for letting users run Android apps on Windows and Mac computers, is going in a completely different direction with the introduction of a new gaming console called GamePop. But the console is just half of the story -- GamePop also encompasses a monthly subscription service that lets users...

This is just "a first step" of Sprint and Path collaboration
On its official blog, Path made a quick post today explaining that it will be included as one of the apps highlighted in a "Discover It" widget that is loaded on some of Sprint's latest devices. The widget, which effectively has stub apps that let you download the full apps with just one tap, is preloaded on the home screens of...

Several new "Pro" features and even more tweaks now available in the settings
One of the most well-known names in third party launchers, Apex Launcher, has just made the jump up to version 2.0 with several new features and improvements across the app. The biggest improvements come if you've paid for the "Pro" version of the app, where you'll now get folders in the app drawer, integration with...

Just a few taps in the settings turns the First into an entirely new device
When we reviewed the HTC First, we found the hardware and performance to be decidedly top-notch considering its pricing and placement in AT&T's lineup. For $100 on-contract -- or $449 off -- you could have a phone with a great screen, acceptable specs and a form factor that fits in your hand without contortion....

First branded net customer additions since 2009; 1.9-percent churn lowest since 2008
T-Mobile has just released its Q1 2013 financial results, and there are some seriously positive numbers to reflect on for the previous quarter. While this doesn't include the recently closed MetroPCS merger, it does cover the time leading up to T-Mobile's dramatic "UNcarrier" rebranding. Let's hit some of the...

Seamlessly continue conversations, calls and video chats from mobile to desktop
Popular cross-platform messaging and VOIP service Viber is introducing brand new desktop apps along with a complete refresh of its mobile apps today. First up are the desktop apps, which are now available for both Windows and Mac and give users the ability to continue all of their VIber conversations and...

Just 6.2mm thick but still packing many of the latest specs of any high-end device
Huawei's latest ultra thin high-end device -- known as the P6-U06 for the moment -- may have just leaked out, and this time it is posing for the camera instead of just a few device renders. While it is hard to confirm that this is the exact device Huawei have teased in the past because the back is not shown, all...

Track your exercise, set goals and monitor your sleep schedule with one device
Fitbit's latest health and fitness product, the Flex, is finally shipping following its debut at CES back in January of this year. The Flex makes an important improvement over previous products by including Bluetooth 4.0, which lets the device stay constantly connected to your smart phone without drastically...

One of the biggest names in processors and radios adds a legend in the mobile industry to the board
After a relatively quiet period following his departure from HP in early 2012, Jon Rubinstein is back in the news as he joins the board of directors at mobile chip maker Qualcomm. Rubinstein is well regarded as one of the few people that drove the creation of modern mobile devices, likely being...

4.2 million of those devices added in Q1 2013 alone
BlueStacks, which makes software that lets users run Android apps on their desktops, laptops and Windows tablets, has reached the 10 million user mark in just over a year. Possibly even more impressive is that 4.2 million of those users started using the software in just Q1 of this year. CEO of BlueStacks Rosen Sharma also notes that active...

These are certainly the best specs Sony has ever put in a phone, but does that translate into a device you actually want to buy?
When we first laid eyes on the Xperia ZL at CES 2013, it may not have gotten the attention that it deserved. As the svelte, glass-backed and waterproof Xperia Z was stealing all of the camera time at the Sony booth, tables full of Xperia ZL devices sat unused. While...

HSPA+ Xperia Z available in all three colors; ZL price cut by $130
Sony doesn't have a very long track record for selling unlocked devices to the U.S., but it certainly seems to be giving it a better shot with the release of the Xperia Z and ZL. Starting today, the HSPA+ model (C6602) of the Xperia Z is on sale direct to the U.S. for a cool $629 -- the North American LTE capable device is...

First nightlies to roll out tonight, but remember the edges are still a little rough on this one
The T-Mobile variant of the Galaxy S4 may have only been available for just a few short days now, but that didn't keep the folks over at CyanogenMod from whipping up their first build of CM10.1 for the device. Steve Kondik has posted on Google+ that the first builds should be rolling starting...

There are more than just apps in Google Play, and we want to let you know what we've found
For weeks upon weeks, we've been bringing you a weekly digest of the best apps each of the Android Central writers have been using. But starting this week, we're going to be mixing things up a bit. Google Play has expanded far beyond just apps -- there's a great selection of books, magazines, music and...

Update only available through Samsung's Kies desktop software
It's been a long time coming, but the original Galaxy Note for AT&T is finally receiving an update to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Starting today, willing users can grab the update although it will only be available via Samsung's Kies software and not OTA (Over The Air). But we're not going to look this gift horse in the mouth,...

Additional API blackout tests to continue up to final shutdown
Version 1 of Twitter's API, which many legacy clients use to pull and display information from Twitter, will have its retirement extended by over a month due to additional testing. Twitter had originally laid out a date of May 7th in conjunction with the shutting down of TweetDeck apps for Android and the desktop, which put the API...

Fling various birds at pigs in structures... now with your friends
Just as we expected, Angry Birds Friends hit the Play Store this morning as a free download, ready for you to challenge your Facebook friends to some intense tournaments. If you haven't played the browser-based version yet, the concept is pretty simple. You have access to all of the varieties of birds you know and love, but now...

Remember everything about a photo by tagging friends involved
Instagram has updated its app to v3.5 today bringing the notable feature of photo tagging to both Android and iOS concurrently. While hashtags have been a staple of posting on Instagram, you can now choose to tag any of your friends in photos as well. After you're done taking, cropping and applying filters to a photo, tapping a tag...

Quickly view orders and edit payment information from your phone
Zappos has just released its v3.0 update in the Play Store with a few welcomed back-end features to help the experience of shopping on a mobile device. While most of the interface remains unchanged save for a few minor usability tweaks, the real improvements can be found in the "My Account" settings. With the latest update, you...

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